HOW BIG IT WAS

Crinoids, or ‘sea lilies’, are echinoderms related to sea urchins and sea stars. They appeared in the Cambrian and were one of the most abundant animals in Palaeozoic seas.

Crinoids have cup-shaped bodies with many flexible arms, often lined with tentacle-like pinnules used to gather food. Most early crinoids used a long stem for attachment, but most forms living today are stemless.

A TRAIL THROUGH TIME

Crinoids first appeared in the Cambrian and survive to this day. See how they've changed over time.